As of 18 August 2024 we have $4,400.22 in our bank account and $2341.69 in our PayPal account, with the Treasurer holding $312.00 in petty cash. Our monthly payment for Google gSuite went down further to $31.14 this  month, and we paid $15.99 on the 15th for Zoom Pro for one month. This month we took in $175.26 in dues for 7 renewing members, with no new members added.  Thanks to founding member David Lindeman for a $40 donation to the club in addition to his membership dues. 

   As I mentioned last month, I had been informed by Meetup that the price for their services will be going up. The cost was even higher than expected, at $193.31 for 6 months of service. For comparison, in the past several years the cost for Meetup every 6 months was $106.86.

   At last month’s meeting the members voted to authorized the Treasurer to spend up to $600 to purchase a SeeStar S50 smart telescope and supporting equipment. The telescope was purchased for $449, and a moon filter, filter holder, and lens cap have been ordered for $81.04. The device comes with a small tripod, so it sits low to the ground, so we may want to buy a taller tripod to get it up to the “customary” height.   

  We held our annual picnic on Saturday, August 17th, at Field of Dreams park near the Ulster County Fairgrounds, with 18 people in attendance. The price to attend was $15 per person, which brought in $270, while the cost of food and drink was $273, so we basically broke even on the food. The club also paid $125 to the Town of New Paltz to rent the pavilion.   (They also asked for a $50 deposit check, but they will tear that up on Monday.)

Respectfully Submitted,

Eric Myers 

Treasurer